Thursday, February 19, 2009

My wife and I took a situation that was really a kick in the backside and changed into an opportunity.

Back in August, when we lost a big consulting gig, we started thinking about how it sometimes seems like things are going great and then a black cloud moves in and rains on our parade. We talked long into the night about our dreams, where we came from, how far we've come over the years. We talked about our vision of owning our own winery and how that seemed to be just out of reach.

Then one of us remembered how every cloud has a silver lining. We decided then and there to make the situation work for us and not against us.

The wine I had been consulting on was excellent. I knew if I could get some we could use it to shoestring finance our dream. Long story short, my employer, Township 7 , agreed to help us establish the Black Cloud brand until we can spin it off into our own licensed winery operation.

We decided to adopt the Black Cloud name to constantly remind us that adversity makes us stronger and, even if things look bad sometimes, there's always a way to make things better.

In the vineyard, grape vines that have things too easy become insipid and unremarkable. The best fruit undergoes stress and trial.

We hope that our 2006 Pinot Noir exhibits all the character and complexity you'd expect from a hand-crafted, small lot wine. Made from vines that flourished while being tested by the elements.

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You should know...

Hi everybody! I'm a professional wine maker with a background in journalism and restaurants. I grew up in North Surrey, BC, Canada in a neighbourhood call Bolivar Heights. I may be the only one who knew that was the actual name of the area. Most just called it North Whalley.

You can follow along the wine maker's journey by checking out the Black Cloud (my blog) and see if we get to create our own winery at some point. I promise to start updating more than I have in the past. I'm heavily influenced by social media and I can often lend a helpful hand to those looking to explore 'socmed' for the first time.

I'm the winemaker/keeper of the quality at Township 7 Vineyards & Winery since 2005 where the team and I have managed to continue creating outstanding red and white wines that have garnered over 100 local and international awards.

I'm also in the process of creating my own brand called Black Cloud . My wife Audralee Daum and me have spent the last few years building our tiny Pinot Noir exclusive label up to about 300 cases and we are now in the process of attracting investors to take us from a virtual to an actual winery.

I spend a lot of time on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites. Real-time exchange of ideas and relationship building is changing our lives faster then we know - in the wine world and in our everyday lives.

I'm married with 4 children. Melanie (32), Taylor (24), Jackson (21) and Ben (12). And now girl grandchild Bo, who's just a little over 2 years. (as of June , 2013)

You can find more out about me and my professional services here or by checking my list of links off to the right.

I live in Okanagan wine country, on the Naramata Bench, on the east side of Penticton, B.C., Canada. I love to ski and have since I was 12. I've recently started running again. Come on out here and cheer me on as I take on the Half!